2890 Private Harold Henry Curtois
NSW Fire Brigades - Contributor Ian Grimwood AFSMBorn: September 1886 at Hay. Occupation: Tailor. Wife: Ruth
Appointed to the Bourke Volunteer Brigade 1st March 1912. Resigned "for Active Service" 15th February 1916.
Enlisted: 9th February 1916, 7th Reinforcements, "C" Company, 59th Battalion, Australian Infantry. Embarked at Sydney on the A19 “Afric” on the 3rd November 1916. Disembarked at Plymouth on the 9th January 1917.
Accidentally killed on the 14th December 1917 at 2pm when shot in the back by 3726 Pte E A Stone, who was cleaning his rifle without ensuring it was unloaded. They had been on picquet with No 12 Platoon Lewis Gun.
Curtois and Stone had been best friends.
Buried: Derry House Cemetery, Belgium
Epitaph on headstone:
Deeply Mourned
Sadly Missed
Personal effects were lost at sea when the SS “Barunga” was torpedoed and sunk by enemy action in the North Atlantic on the 15th July 1918.
British War Medal
Victory Medal
